


sine qua non

by misura



Series: Peter III [1]
Category: 18th Century CE RPF
Genre: M/M, POV Outsider
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-08
Updated: 2016-11-08
Packaged: 2018-09-07 12:00:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,235
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8800030
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/misura/pseuds/misura
Summary: Andrei wondered how it was between them in private. At one point, he had assumed it was like this: arguments, followed by an inevitable retreat and an unconditional surrender.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Alley_Skywalker](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Alley_Skywalker/gifts).



"You're moving too quickly," Brockdorff said, at last, which everyone in the room knew was just another way of saying 'I don't like it'.

Over the past six weeks, Andrei had come to learn there were a great many things Brockdorff did not like, and very few that he did. That the man claimed to be Peter's friend and faithful servant was hard to fathom; that Peter acted as if this were perfectly true in spite of all evidence to the contrary was yet more proof of Peter's great generosity and kindness.

"That's not what I asked," said Peter. He was still sitting down, but his left foot was tapping impatiently.

Andrei had never met anyone with quite so much energy, or the ability to channel that energy into tirelessly working for the good of his people, his empire. A mere two nights ago, Andrei himself had come very near to shaming himself by falling asleep in the smoking room.

He'd slept late the day after, waking to find Peter had asked for him but, upon being told that he was still in bed, had decreed that he was not to be disturbed.

"It's a good idea," said Brockdorff. He sounded reluctant. "You have many good ideas."

Unexpected flattery! Andrei wondered what had prompted it. Knowing Brockdorff, he was working his way up to saying something the opposite of everything that had come before.

Either that, or he was trying to regroup from his first position. That, too, was one of Brockdorff's failings. He'd talk himself into a difficult position, usually the opposite of Peter's, and then try to extricate himself from it. A sensible man would have known to agree with his Prince from the start.

Andrei, if consulted, always did so - not to flatter, as certain people suggested, but because it was obvious to him that Peter's ideas were sound, that his plans would benefit all of Russia. One did not argue with a great Prince; one offered him one's unstinting and unconditional support.

"I'd say 'thank you', but I think we both know that you didn't mean it as a compliment," Peter said.

Andrei knew a cue when he heard one. "That doesn't make it any less true."

It wasn't always wise, to break into imperial conversations. Peter never seemed to mind, but Andrei had noticed that sometimes, after an interruption, the topic of the conversation seemed to slip away from him. The fact that, as a rule, Peter was working on about a dozen policies at once probably didn't help.

"Thank you, Gudovich." Peter smiled. Brockdorff scowled.

"You're still young. You'll have years to make the changes you want to make," Brockdorff said. A flanking maneuver, doomed to failure, given that even _Andrei_ saw it coming.

"So I should simply allow unjust laws to continue to burden my people? To make them starve or freeze to death in the winter? To live like slaves? Is that what an Emperor should do?"

"You're exaggerating."

"Not really."

"You can improve your people's lives without making enemies of some of the most powerful people in this country," Brockdorff insisted. "This way, you all but guarantee they'll start working against you."

Andrei noted the 'your people'. By Peter's expression, he had, too. "Let them. I'm the Emperor."

"Yes, you are. And if this is what you want to do, then you should do it. But if you ask me what I think of it, well, then I shall tell you my honest opinion."

Not quite a surrender, but definitely a suit for peace.

"As your friend," Brockdorff went on, "I should hope that you would never want me to do less."

"As my friend, you might try harder to make me pleased with your company," Peter complained. "As my friend, you might make yourself agreeable to me, instead of always harping on about things. As my friend, you might forget every now and then that I'm the Emperor."

Andrei wondered how it was between them in private. At one point, he had assumed it was like this: arguments, followed by an inevitable retreat and an unconditional surrender. Forgiveness won and quickly squandered again and again. He had thought Brockdorff a fool, to take Peter's favors for granted so.

"The way _he_ does?" Brockdorff asked, glancing at Andrei and scowling.

Andrei flushed. It helped, to tell himself this was sheer jealousy talking. It helped even more to assure himself that he would die before doing something to displease or offend Peter.

"I never feel unwelcome in his company," Peter said, finally abandoning his chair. "I know him to be my most loyal and faithful friend."

"As I am."

 _Liar,_ Andrei thought. They had been childhood friends, of course. Doubtlessly, that accounted for some of Peter's loyalty - and as for the reverse, well, even Brockdorff was not so much of a fool as to cause an actual breach with an Emperor who wished to call him 'friend'.

There might have been more than friendship between them. A few youthful kisses, a budding romance cut short by Peter's summons to Russia - Andrei could see how something like that would awaken a strong sense of attachment in someone like Peter.

If that was how things were, he'd probably be dealing with Brockdorff and his maddening reluctance to offer unqualified approval for the rest of his life.

"We're nothing alike."

Peter shook his head. Andrei almost panicked for a moment, wondering where he'd gone wrong, before he realized that the gesture was intended to indicate agreement.

"I agree," Brockdorff said. "He offers you useless, empty flattery. I offer you honesty. Which of the two do you place a greater value on?"

"If I knew, I might have ordered one of you to leave me alone," Peter snapped, still pacing. "He's useful to me. He knows my thoughts, my wishes, often without even needing to ask."

Andrei decided not to dwell on the first part of Peter's reply. "I live to serve my Emperor," he said.

"So says everyone else at the court." Brockdorff scoffed.

"And why should they not?" Peter said. "Do I not work for them tirelessly? Have I not been generous to them, and their relatives? Do they not share in the profits from these measures I am taking to make this empire even greater than before?"

"Yes," said Brockdorff. "And I agree - I know that everything you do, you do for the best of reasons. But I still say that you might wish to consider moving more slowly, allowing things to settle before stirring them up again. It takes time to change things."

"Days, if I need Volkov to find the proper phrases, to spot the loopholes that need closing."

"Not everyone is like you," Brockdorff said. He had the gall to sound amused.

"I don't need everyone to be like _me_ ," Peter said, gesturing. "It would suffice for more people to be like _him_ \- and don't go making that face that suggests I've hurt your feelings. I don't mind a bit of discussion, but you never seem to be able to see the bigger picture anymore."

"You are the Emperor," Andrei said. "He isn't." He wondered if he was blushing. He felt like he was.

"A statement even I cannot argue with."

"Good." Peter beamed. "The two of you may be friends yet."

Andrei stared at Brockdorff, who stared back at him coolly, and thought, _Never_.

**Author's Note:**

> so I was wandering around a second-hand bookshop this October and they had a copy of both Nisbet Bain's _Peter III_ and Leonard's _Reform and Regicide_
> 
> neither of them is big on mentions of Brockdorff, so I felt a bit cheated in that regard, but Bain had a delightful authorial voice and Leonard offered a fun alternate view, and so here I am, writing you the treat fate clearly intended for me to write you
> 
> I hope you enjoyed it


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